i didn't do it... [ female announcer ] join for free. offer ends october 20th. weight watchers online finally, losing weight clicks. president obama is in new york right now. he will address the united nations general assembly kicking off cha will be an extremely busy day for both candidates mixing policy and politics. but both the president's foreign policy and his schedule are coming under fire. he will not meet with a single world leader while the united nations is in session. that is a big break with tradition. instead, leaving secretary of the state hillary clinton with a nearly nonstop series of meetings including meeting with the leaders of afghanistan,

egypt and pakistan. but the president did take an appearance on the talk show "the view." >> i just have a different vision about how we grow an economy. i think that you grow an economy from the middle out, not from the top down. >> and while the president took a shot at mitt romney over the economy, romney was hammering him over foreign policy. insisting the president's comments about bumps in the road in the middle east were out of line. >> these are developments we do not want to see. >> i want to bring in my fan tak fan takes sick panel, andrea mitchell, jamie rubin and "time" magazine's editor-at-large. good to see all of you.

an dra dree arlet me have you s the stage. >> the president will give a tough speech, he'll say containment is not an option regarding iran. but these are words will be contradicted by the fact that he's leaving so quickly and by the criticism that he's not meeting with foreign leaders. i think they could have made the argument that he's not going to be here when netanyahu arrives for thursday's speech, but to say that he's not going to meet with president morsi who has been giving very interesting interviews and is really at an infliction point, leaving that to the secretary of state, this is the first time and in election years past presidents in both political parties have met one-on-one with foreign leaders. and we're at a very important juncture. >> so let's talk about the calculation. obviously the campaign made the decision they didn't want the possibility of any bad news coming out of any of these

meetings meetings. >> they felt netanyahu made it clear where he stood and netanyahu because triesing to get involved in american politics. obviously meeting with the egyptian president of the muslim brotherhood is fraught with political significance. there are a lot of other difficultieses. but that's sort of one of the things you have to do when urt president of the united states and i think he really did make it worse by sitting down with "the view." i love "the view," i love the show, they're all friends. i'm a big fan. but in was not the moment to sit down with "the view." that's done by mitt romney, by barack obama, by everyone else. but not this day and at this time. >> jamie rubin, there is a schedule. obviously that the campaign feels it wants to keep. they have a lot of events coming up just today. joe scarborough said this morning so meet with folks for 15 minutes. to something. what would you say about this?

>> well, i come from the foreign policy side of the house and worked at the state department and the president's schedule would come up in meetings with the white house. and there's always this tension between the election calculations, the political calculations, and those in the foreign policy professionals. you know, from the standpoint of a professional, obviously you'd like to see the president engage with these crucial countries, not just our friend israel, but a lot of friends that we have in the world or as andrea put it, countries where they're at crucial times where the presidential involvement could make a difference. so broadly speaking, that's what a foreign policy professional would want. obviously other equities won out. they presumably concludeded the president is doing reasonably well on foreign affairs. that's not his primary ear meme going into the election. >> and yet his numbers have gone down since what happened in

benghazi, we have seen that the presidented is not as strong on foreign affairs. and it was interesting joe emeka talked to the former president clinton and they asked him whether or not this was a mistake not to meet with other foreign leaders and he paused with what might be considered an uncomfortable pause and then he said this. >> looked to me like again from observing it that the president was reluctant to have one meeting and in the u.n. schedule where normally he'll have 15 because of the nearness of the campaign. >> and as we watch the presidentpresident presidented arriving at the united nations, what about the optics of this? >> i think he couldn't have had one meeting with bibi netanyahu and walked away. if he did this, would he have had to meet with several people, morsi, other allies in europe. i'm surprised that it came down

to one or none. it should have been several or none. none being the political calculus and several being the white house presidential calculus. >> let's it talk about the substance of what we're going to hear today and jamie, would this be a fair assess the ment of th president's policy success or not on n are a, that there has been a somewhat mixed success? obviously the sanctions have had some effect. he's had success if n. getting other world leaders to put pressure on iran, but no more than his presentdecessors. >> yes, but i think it would be hard to say sanctions have had an effect. the effect designed was to convince iran to adjust, downgrade and perhaps zsuspend

his nuclear program. it's not to hurt their economy. and clearly doing grave damage to the people that. but it isn't doing what the sanctions were intended to do, which is to change iran's policy on the enrichment of uranium. that has not changed. arguably it's gotten worse because they're enriching to higher and higher levels of bomb grade material. they're not yet there, but improving their enrichment capability. their sanctions have been on for a long, long time. president clinton had them, president bush have them. they have been strengthened under president obama, but, again, not to the point where it's had an impact on the goal which is iran's nuclear enrich chlt program. >> mitt romney says the president needs to do more. is it clear what mitt romney would do? >> not at all. i don't know how the president could make more decisions regarding sanctions. yes, there have been waivers for china and other allies, but

these sanctions are very tough and they really are biting in terms of the economy, the banking system right now in iran. the problem is that the iranian leadership, principally the ayatollah, have clearly made a decision for now the nuclear program is more important than the economy. and until the ayatollah makes the political decision to halt a nuclear program which is almost universally popular in iran, even with the young people with people across the political spectrum, this is an issue of nationalism for iran. their view is israel has nuclear weapons undeclared and we have the right to develop a nuclear program. and we claim it is for peaceful purposes. they have not made the declaration that they are developing weapons. but they're doing so much along that road that there are real grounds to be more than suspicious. the international community, all the inspectors say they have

gone well beyond, they ren riar enriching bomb grade material. so israel and the juunited stat and the rest. world have a reason to be concerned. i don't know what more the president could do. i really understand them saying they need to be ambiguous about the military threat. you don't say i'm going to strike on such and such a deadline and you don't let a foreign power israel tell you when you have to declare. >> but if there is no cexplicit statement that this is our red line, does there need to be an understanding with netanyahu or with the israelis. >> >> yeyes. and it's not just netanyahu. it's not just the israelis that are looking to obama to make some sort of a statement. it's the saudis, egyptians, all of iran's neighbors. netanyahu seems to have cornered

the market on public discussion of this. but there's a lot of quiet diplomacy that's taken place in which the saudis are saying what are you going to do? so the president has to satisfy many constituencies with his speech and it's a very tall order. >> sorry, the reason why everybody's dancing around this is that a war with iran is a very, very serious piece of business and benjamin net i can't can urge us to threaten a war, but great powers don't bluff. if we're going to declare a red line that means we're prepared to launch a war. they've shown a willingness to use terrorism around the world even when they're not at war with the united states. so launching a third war of this magnitude with a major power in iran is a serious piece of business and people in this

country and israel and around the world casually talk about red lines without thinking through the very serious consequences of launching such a war. >> and you have to put it in the context of this is a president who came to prominence as a presidential candidate in many ways because of his opposition to the war in iraq. >> and what you saw in his "60 minutes" interview is that the white house clearly feels they are on very strong ground making that appeal. what he said is i'd like to know whether governor romney really wants to go forward with a war, a third war and a war with iran, is that what he's talking about. they feel that the american people are not only weary of war, but really understandably nervous about englanlging iran and the likelihood that that would imflan the entire region. >> let's talk about egypt. basically fledgling democracy. there was that statement by the president about whether or not egypt was an ally or an enemy.

and cbs this morning talked to the new president of egypt. here's what he said when he was asked about that comment. >> translator: it was warm, it was not hot. >> what's the difference in warm and hot? >> translator: same difference between friendship and being an enemy. we're not enemies, of course. >> but you're friends. >> translator: we're friends. >> allies? >> translator: the u.s. president said otherwise. >> president morsi who lived here for year, went to usc, raised his children when they were young in california and speaks fluent english, chose to speak arabic. he has been saying one thing to western businessmen who were in cairo, the day before those

protests, september 10th, the cos of major american companies were there on a trip led by the state department and the deputy secretary of state and they found him to be very forward leaning and very western and very interested obviously in american and european and global investment the in egypt. and then this all happens. he's playing both sides. but i think that what we've seen in his interview is that he is very interested in showing the western side of his background talking about usc and the trojans and how he knows american football and this is a man who wants to make a deal, wants to make deals here while he is in the united states, wants to speak to the economic club of new york. he knows that egypt's future relies on getting this investment. >> but there are two issues here. i think the president of the united states when he refused to use the the term of art ally was basic referring to the fact that

the new egyptian government has a set of policies about which we are not yet certain. i think there was a lot of discomfort correctly in this country when these attacks took place last week, an american ambassador was killed, a friend of the arab people, and the egyptian president did not say and do the kinds of things that the libyan government said and did. there was a caution, there was a hesitation of alienating the extremist islamic groups in egypt, something the libyan people, libyan government didn't do and then the libyan government encouraged and participated in tens of thousands of libyans coming out on the streets and expressing their support for the united states and regretted the killing of an ambassador. those things haven't happened in egypt. so president morsi is walking a fine line, but he's contributing by refusing while in egypt to say and do the things that he will say to western businessmen and will say while he's here in the united states.

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waiting for the president's remarks before the general assembly of the united nations. right now brazil's president is there. and as soon as she's done with her remarks, we will hear from president obama. . back with me andrea mitchell, jamie rubin, and bobby fwoesh. goesh. the romney campaign has been hoping some of the latest events provide an opening for him, but you do wonder the problems he

had after the attack on benghazi and frankly the situation in the economy which was always thought to be his strength whether or not he should just focus on the economy. how much peril do you think there is for mitt romney? >> he's weak on foreign policy. and he flubbed his lines with benghazi and trying to make a big deal about what the president meant when he said bumps in the road is desperate. and i suspect the romney campaign is just as keen for the u.n. session to be over as the obama camp. they don't want to make too much news and expose their candidate's frailties in this area. >> one of the big criticisms we've heard about the president is that he was elected with the expectation that he would be this transformational president and part of that transformation would be the relationships that he would build with foreign leaders and his critics have said pretty harshly that this would be a president who has not

yet developed personal relationships that can sometimes define a strong foreign policy. why? >> that is a criticism you hear from some of president obama's admirers and friend, that he doesn't make that connection not only with foreign leaders, but with congressional leaders. that he's a little too remote. that there hasn't been follow-up to the cairo speech that he gave in 2009 where he was talking about redefining the relationships and that there haven't been enough follow-up, enough hard work done. after the so-called arab spring to make sure that things did not go off the trackses as much as the united states can control that. this is obviously a revolutionary period in the region. and any white house would have been challenged. i'm not sure what a republican white house would have done better. but it is fair to say that this president does not have those close relationships even with some of our allies.

>> we understand the president is about to take the stage. in the last few seconds as we wait for this, let me just ask you, jamie, obviously the words that he says are very important, but there is also this sense out there that when a president of the united states goes before the united nations, there is a hope that he'll send the message both to the stwinternational community and in this case voters, as well, that he is the steady secure hand that will be there in times of crisis. he has taken to the podium of the president of the united states. >> ladies and gentlemen, i would like to begin today by telling you about an american named chris stevens. chris was born in a town called grass valley california, the son

of a lawyer and new sish shmusi. chris joined the peace corps and taught english and he came to love and respect the people of north africa and the middle east. he would carry that commitment throughout his life. as a diplomat, he worked from egypt to syria, from saudi arabia to libya. he was known for walk the streets, tasting the local food, meetsing as many people as he could, speaking arabic, listening with a broad smile. chris went to benghazi in the early days of the libyan revolution. arriving on a cargo ship. as america's representative, he helped the libyan people as they coped with conflict, cared for the wounded, and crafted a

vision for the future in which libyans would be respected. and after the revolution, he assumed t supported the birth of a new democracy as libyans held elections and began to move forward after decades ever dictatorship. chris stevens loved his work. he took pride in the country he served and he saw dignity in the people he met. two weeks ago he travelled to benghazi to review plans to establish a new cultural center and modernize a hospital. that's when america's compound came under attack. along with three of his colleagues, chris was killed in the city he helped to save. he was 52 years old. i tell you this story was chris

stevens embodied the best of america. like his fellow foreign service officers, he built bridges across cultures and was deeply invested in the international cooperation that the united states represents. he acted with humility, but he also stood up for a set of principles, a belief that individuals should be free to determine their own destiny and live with liberty, dignity, justice, and opportunity. the attacks on the civilians in benghazi were attacks on america. we are grateful for the assistance we received from the libyan government and from the libyan people. there should be no doubt that we will be relentless in tracking down the killers and bringing them to justice. and i also appreciate that in recent days the leaders of other countries in the region,

including egypt, tunisia, and yemen have taken steps to secure our can diplomatic facilities and called for calm. and so have religious authorities around the globe. but understand the attacks of the last two weeks are not simply an assault on america. they're also an assault on the very ideals upon which the united nations was founded. the notion that people can resolve their differences peacefully, that i did proceed massey can take the place of war, that in an interdependent world, all of us have a stake in working towards greater opportunity and security for our citizens. if we are serious about upholding these ideals, it will not be enough to put more guards in front of an embassy or to put out statements of regret and wait for the outrage to pass.

if we are serious about these ideals, we must speak honestsly about the deeper causes of the crisis. because we face a choice between the forces that would drive us apart and the hopes that we hold in common. today we must reaffirm that our future will be determined by people like chris stevens and not by his killers. today we must declare that this violence and intolerance has no place among our united nations. it's been less than two years since a vendor in tunisia set himself on fire to protest the oppressive corruption in his country. and sparked what game known as t became known as the arab spring. and the world has been captivated by the transformation that has taken place and the united states has suchtsed tppo

forces of change. we were inspired by the tunisian protests because we recognize our own beliefs in the aspiration of men and women who took to the streets. we insisted on change in egypt because our support for democracy ultimately put us on the side of the people. we supported a transition of leadership in yemen because the interests of the people were no longer being served by a corrupt status quo. we intervened in libya alongside a broad coalition and with the mandate of the united nations security council because we had the ability to stop the slaughter of innocence and because we believed that the aspirations of the people were more powerful than a tyrant. and as we meet here, we again declare that the regime of al assad must come to annual end ee

suffering can stop and a new dawn can begin. we have taken these positions because we believe that freedom and self-determination are not unique to one culture. these are not simply american values or western values. they are universal values. and everyone as there will be huge challenges to come with a transition to democracy, i'm convinced that ultimately government of the people, by the people, and for the people is more likely to bring about the stabilities prosperity and individual opportunity that serve as a basis for peace in our world. so let us remember that this is a season of progress. for the first time in decades, tunisi tunisians, egyptians and libyans voted for new leaders in elections that were credible, competitive and fair. this democratic spirit has not been restricted to the arab world. over the past year, we've seen peace pl transitions of power in

mala malawi, senegal, and a new president in somali. in burma, a president has freed prisoners and opened a closed society. and people look forward to further reform. around the globe, people are making their voices heard, insisting on their innate dignity and the right to determine their future. and yet the turmoil of recent weeks reminds us that the path to democracy does not end with the casting of a ballot. nelson mandela once said to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. [ applause ] true democracy demands that

citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believe. and that businesses can be opened without paying a bribe. it depends on the freedom of citizens to speak their minds and assemble without fear. and on the rule of law and due process that guarantees the rights of all people. in other words, true democracy, real freedom, is hard work. those in you power have to resist the temptation to crack down on dissidents. in hard economic times, countries must be tempted -- may be tempted to rally the people around perceived enemies at home and abroad rather than focusing on the painstaking work of reform. moreover, there will always be those that reject human progress. dictators who cling to power, corrupt interests that depend on the statuses company. and extremists who fan the

flames of hate and division. from northern ireland to south asia, from africa to the americas, from the balance continueses to the pacific rim, we've witnessed convulsions that can accompany transitions to a new political order. at time the conflicts a rise look the fault lines of race or tribe. and often they a rise from the difficulties of reconciling tradition and faith with the diversity and enter dependence of the modern world. in every country, there are those who find different religious beliefs threatening, in every culture those who love freedom for themselves must ask themselves how much they're willing to tolerate freedom for others. and that is what we saw play out in the last two weeks as accrued and disgusting video sparked

outrage throughout the muslim world. i have made it clear that the united states government had nothing to do with this video. and i believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity. it is an insult not only to muslims, but to america, as well. fors as the city outside these walls makes clear, we are a country that has welcomed country of every race and every faith. we are home to muslims who worship across our country. we not only respect the freedom of religion, we have laws that protect individuals from being harmed because of how they look or what they believe. we understand why people take offense to this video because millions of our citizens are among them. i know there are some who ask why don't we just ban such a video. and the answer is enshrined in our laws. our constitution protects the

right to practice free speech. here in the united states, countless publications provoke offen offense. like me, the majority of americans are christian and yet we do not ban blast felon blast any. as commander in chief of our military, i accept people will call me awful things every day. and i will always defend their right to do so. [ applause ] americans have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of people to express their true, everyone views that we profoundly disagree with. we do not disso because we support hateful speech. but because our founders understood that without such protections, the capacity of

each individual to express their own views and practice their own faith may be threatened. we do so because in a diverse society, experts to restrict speech can quickly become a tool to silence critics and opress minorities. we do so because given the power of faith in our lives and the passion that religious differences can inflame, the strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech. voices of tolerance that rally against bogotry and blasphemy. i know not all countries in this body share this particular understanding of the protection of free speech. we recognize that. but in 2012, at a time when anyone with a cell phone can spread offensive views around the world with a click of a

button, the notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete. the question then is how do we respond. and on this we must agree, there is no speech that justifies mindless violence. [ applause ] there are no words that excuse the killing of innocence. there is no video that justifies an attack on embassy. there is no swlan der that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in lebanon or cause death and destruction in pakistan. in this it empowers kras on

around the world. more broadly the efrvents speako the need for us to honestly address the tensions between the west and the arab world that is moving toward democracy. let me be clear just as we can not solve every problem in the world, the united states has not and will not seek to dictate the outcome of democratic transitions abroad. we do not expect other nations to agree with us on every issue. nor do we assume that the violence of the past weeks or the hateful speech by some individuals represent the views of the overwhelming majority of muslims any more than the views of the people that produced that video represents those of americans.

however i do believe it is the obligation of all leaders in all countries to speak out forcefully against violence and extremism. [ applause ] it is time to marginalize those who even when not directly resorting to violence use hate dress of america or the west or israel as the central organizing principle of politics. for that only gives cover and sometimes makes an excuse for those who do resort to violence. that brand of politics, one that pits east against west and muslims against christians and then du hindus and jews can't deliver on the promise of freedom. to the youth, it offers only false hope. burning an american flag does nothing to provide a child an

education. smashing apart a restaurant does not fill an empty stomach. attacking an embassy won't create the a single job. that brand of politics only makes it harder to achieve what we can do together, educating our children and creating the opportunities that they deserve. protecting human rights and extending democracy's promise. understand america will never retreat from the world. we will bring just sis to those who harm our citizens and our friends and we will stand with our allies.sis to those who harm our citizens and our friends and we will stand with our allies. we are willing to deepen ties of trade and science and technology, energy and development. all efforts that can spark economic growth for all oufr people. and stabilize democratic change. but such efforts depend on a spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect.

no government or company, no school or ngo will be confident working in a country where its people are in danger. for partnerships to be effective, our citizens must be secure and our efforts must be welcomed. politics based on anger, one based on dividing the world, not only sets back international cooperation, it also undermines those who tolerate it. all of us have an interest in standing up to these forces. let us remember muslims have suffered the most at the hands of extremism. on the same day our civilians were killed in benghazi, a turkish police officer was murdered in istanbul only days before his wedding. more than ten i canyemen sneeze

killed. several afghan children were mourned by their parents just days after a suicide bomb. the impulse may initially be focused on the west, but over time, it cannot be contained. the same impulses towards extremism will used to justify war between sunni and shia, between describes and clans. at least pot to strengthen prosperity, but to chaos. in less than two years, we have seen largely peaceful protests bring more change to muslim majority countries than a decade of violence. and extremists understand this. because they have nothing to offer to improve the lives of people, violence is their only way to stay relevant. they don't build. they only destroy. it is time to lead the call of violence and the politics of

division behind. on so many issues, we face a choice between the promise of the future or the prisons of the past. and we cannot afford to get it wrong. we must seize this moment and america stands ready to work with all who are willing to embrace a better future. the future must not belong to those who target coptic christians in egypt, it must be claimed by those in tahrir square who chanted muslims and christians, we are one. the future must not belong to those who who bully women, it might be shaped by girls who go to school and those who stand for daughters who can live their dreams just like our sons. [ applau [ applause ] the future must be won by the

students and entrepreneurs, the workers and business owners who seek a broader process pair itity for all people those are the women and men who america stands with, theirs is the vision we will support. the future must not belong to 240es w those who slander the prophet of islam, but those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of jesus christ that are desecrated or churches that are destroyed or the holocaust that is denied. [ applause ] let us condemn insightment against muslims and pilgrims. it's time to heed the words of gandhi, intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit. [ applause ]

together we must work toward a world where we are strengthened by our differences and not defined by them. that is what america embeds. that's the vision we will support. among israelis aunts palestinians, the future must not belong to those who turn their backs on the prospects of peace. let us leave behind those who thrive on conflict, those who reject the right of israel to quist. the road is hard, but the destination is clear. a secure jewish state of israel and an independent prosperous palestine. [ applause ] understanding that such a peace must come through a just agreement between the parties america will walk alongside all journey. the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people.

if there is a cause that cries out for protests in the world today, peaceful protestses, it is a regime that tortures children and shoots rockets at apartment buildings. and we must remain engaged to assure that what began with citizens demanding their rights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence. together we must is an with those syrians who believe in a different vision, a syria that is united and inclusive, where children don't need to fear their own government and all syrians have a say in how they're governed. that's what america stands for. that is the outcome that we will work for with sanctions and consequences for those who persecute and assistance and support for those who work for this common good. because we believe that the syrians who embrace this vision will have the strength and the legitimacy to lead.

in iran, we see where the path of a violent and unaccountable ideology leads. the iranian people have a remarkable and ancient history. and many iranians wish to enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their neighbors. but just as it restricts the rights of its own people, the iranian government continues to prop up a dictator in damascus and supports terrorist groups abroad. time and again, it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful. and to meet its obligations to the united nations. so let me be clear. america wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy and we believe there is still time and space to do so. but that time is not unlimited. we respect the right of nations to access peaceful nuclear power. but one of the purposes of the nighted nations is to see that we harness that power for peace

that we harness that power for peace. make no mistake a nuclear-armed iran is not a challenge that can be contained. it would threaten the security of gulf nations and the stability of the global economy. it risks triggering a nuclear arms race in the regionnded a unraveling of the nonproliferation treaty. that's why a coalition of countries is holding the iranian government accountable. and that's why the united states will do what we must to prevent iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. we know from painful experience that the path to security and prosperity does not lie out side the boundaries of international law and respect for human rights. that's why this institution was established from the rubble of conflict. that is why liberty triumphed over tyranny in the cold war and that is the lesson of the last two decades, as well. history shows that peace and

progress come to those who make the right choices. nations in every part of the world have travel this had difficult path. europe, the bloodiest battle field of the 20th century, is united free and at peace. in turkey to south core re, a from india to indonesia, people of different races, religion and traditions have lifted millions out of poverty while respecting the rights of their citizens and meeting the responsibilities as nations. and it is because of the progress that i've witnessed in my own life time, the progress that i've witnessed after nearly four years as president, that i remain ever hopeful about the world that we live in. the war in iraq is over. american troops have come home. we've begun a transition in afghanistan and america and our

allies will end our war on schedule in 2014. al qaeda's been weakened. and osama bin laden's no more. nations have come together to lock down nuclear materials and america and russia are reducing our arsenals. we have seen hard choices made from cairo to put more power in the hands of citizens. at a time of economic challenge, the word has come together to broaden prosperity. through the g-20, we have partnered with emerging countries to keep the word on the path of recovery. america's pursued a development agenda that fuels growth and breaks dependency and worked with african leaders to help them feed their nations. new partnerships have been forced to combat corruption and promote government that is open and transparent and new

commitments have been made to ensure women and girls can pursue politics. and later today i'll discuss human traffic. all these things give me hope but what gives me the most hope is not the actions of us, not the actions of leaders, it's the people that i've seen. the american troops who have risked their lives and sacrificed their limbs for strangers half a world away, the students in jakarta or seoul eager to use their knowledge to benefit mankind. the faces in the square or in parliament who see them voicing their aspirations. the young people in the schools of mumbai whose eyes shine with promise. these men, women and children of every race and every faith remind me that for every angry

mob that gets shown on television, there are billions around the world who share similar hopes and dreams. they tell us that there is a common heartbeat to humanity. so much attention in our world turns to what divides us. that's what we see on the news. that's what consumes our political debates. but when you strip it all away, people everywhere long for the freedom to determine their destiny. the dignity that comes with work. the comfort that comes with faith. and the justice that exists when governments serve their people and not the other way around. the united states of america will always stand up for these aspirations, for our own people and for people all across the world. that was our founding purpose. that is what our history shows.

that is what chris stevens worked for throughout his life. and i promise you this. long after the killers are brought to justice, chris stevens' legacy will live on in the lives that he touched. in the tens of thousands who marched against violence through the streets of benghazi. in the libyans who changed their facebook photo to one of chris in the signs that read simply chris stevens was a friend to all libyans. they should give us hope. they should remind us that so long as we work for it, justice will be done, that history is on our side, and that arising tide of liberty will never be reversed. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> the president of the united states stepping off the campaign trail and on to the international stage before the

unite the nations general assembly. in his speech that was a tribute both at the beginning and end to ambassador kri was bar ambassad stevens. generalities getting to the cause, but also more specifics although not new ones. that al assad must be gone, that iran, he would prefer to solve its nuclear ambitions through diplomacy, but their time is not unlimited. and andrea, your headline from this speech that was interrupted i guess about half a dozen times. >> a strong dozen of free speech, a denial that the u.s. has a lot to do with the video. he spent a lot of time on the video instead of the larger issues at stake. barely a sentence about

afghanistan. so -- >> passing mention. >> passing mention. and surprising to me since the obama team made so much of mitt romney's failure to deal with afghanistan in his political speech at the convention. you would think here in the form of the united nations there would be more about afghanistan and more about iraq, but a hard line on iran. >> and your thoughts. >> afghanistan is an issue that the whole world generally supports us and our efforts there, endorsed by the united nations. people may be getting tired of it, but they're generally supportive of our efforts. so it wouldn't have been out of step to do that. look, i think what he basically did is show us why he's quite popular around the world. it is unusual to have this level of applause on quite a few occasions for essentially rhetoric about american values and about free speech and the fight against intolerance. barack obama is popular. no question about that.

and i think the speech included the kind of remarks about the pl ci policy toward the arab spring that has been criticized over the last ten days temperature pfs a broad defense of the arab progress that has occurred during the last two years and an answer to those who said in the original statement that sparked the controversy from the embassy in egypt where we didn't seem to be standing up for free speech even while condemning the video. so with the time that they have had, this is the time of thing that was being sought a week ago here in america to put to bed some of the critics. so and you have broyou have a b to the approach to the arab spring, a few lines clearly intended for the american audience about bin laden and the end of the war in traffic. you don't have much on the central policy issue facing our

nation, that we have tens of thousands of troops at war in afghanistan and the venue where you might have built some support for that, that doesn't happen. but i think you should remember that syria is one of the issues that people will critique the president on. it's described as an observer. the united states is a participant like many countries in this conflict and trying to engage and be involved, but not really any leadership role or any particular action 34r57b plan or any particular goal specified for the could not flikt that's killed 20,000 people that is before the united nations, that's divide the united nations. so i think that's where there probably could have been some more. >> quick comments? >> i think if you were listening -- an american

audience will find plenty to criticize. it was weak for an american audience. at an internationalist, i take more heart from it. there was a reassurance that america remains engaged in the world. he was careful not to point fingers although obviously condemning the killing of ambassador stevens, there was no pointing of fingers at the leaders of muslim states in which there were protests at the american embassy which was smart diplomacy. >> we have to let that be the last word. thank you so much for coming in. and we are going to take a quick break. p mitt romney is coming up with a speech. thomas roberts will pick up our coverage. you're not using too much are you, hon? ♪ nope. [ female announcer ] charmin ultra soft is so soft you'll have to remind your family they can use less. charmin ultra soft is made with extra cushions that are soft and more absorbent. plus you can use four times less versus the leading value brand.

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